Coles and Woolworths further limit toilet paper purchases as supply sells out in an hour

Major supermarkets Coles and Woolworths have imposed further purchasing limits on toilet paper across their stores in an effort to give suppliers a chance to catch up with demand.

Coles announced on Sunday shoppers would only be permitted one pack per transaction, saying it was still seeing toilet paper stock sell out completely within one hour of delivery despite last week "reluctantly" introducing a four-pack per person limit on the product.

Empty toilet paper shelves at Coles.Credit: Steven Siewert

"We have therefore made the decision to change the limit to 1 pack per customer so that toilet rolls are available for more of our customers, particularly the elderly and people who are unable to purchase in large volumes," a spokesperson for the retailer said.

The company also took out full-page advertisements in major newspapers on Monday displaying a message from chief executive Steven Cain alerting customers to the new limits.

Similarly, a Woolworths spokesman said the company had put a two-pack limit in place, with the company assuring shoppers "large volumes of toilet paper supply are flowing through daily to our stores nationwide". Woolworths encouraged shoppers to purchase only what they needed.

Coles said it had also asked suppliers, such as Kleenex, Sorbent and Quilton, to focus production on larger packs. The company has also prioritised the delivery of larger packs to stores, noting a pack of 30 rolls should last the average family three weeks.

Ritchies Supa IGA, a chain of 76 IGA stores across the east coast, will also adjust its purchasing limits, with two packs per person restriction to be imposed from Monday morning.

On Thursday night, Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci told customers it was an "unusual and challenging time". Woolworths has also imposed limits on hand sanitiser and bags of rice, with only one two kilogram or higher bag permitted per transaction.

Online deliveries have also skyrocketed in response to the virus, with Woolworths saying it had seen higher than usual demand online in recent weeks.

This has seen the company recruit some head office staff to help stack shelves and complete online orders in its fulfilment centres, with a spokesman confirming about 20 team members from the company's support office had "put up their hand to help out".

While local toilet paper manufacturers are working around the clock to meet demand, some suppliers have warned they were finding it difficult to keep up.

A spokesman for Sorbent, one of Australia's largest toilet paper producers, told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald last week "sustained panic buying in the volumes seen in recent days will be certain to stress supply".

Similarly, SunRice, a major rice grower, said on Friday it was struggling to keep up with demand, which was "exceeding supply capability".